Sunday night, after a connection in Panama City, I arrived in Guatemala City. Pretty much everything I read told me to leave Guatemala City as soon as possible and head to Antigua. Guatemala City was dirty, dangerous, and there was very little to do. After spending most of my Monday there I’m not sure I totally agree.
Certainly Guatemala City is not the safest place that you will ever visit, but most Central American capitals suffer from a high crime rate and a large amount of poverty. So I carried a minimal amount of cash and left anything too valuable at the hotel.
I used Uber to get from zone 10 (where most hotels are located) to zone 1, the historic center. What I was not expecting was the architecture. It’s really lovely. Sure, some of it needs maintaining, but a lot of it is in really good condition.
I spent some time walking around downtown. Old colonial architecture butts up against newly renovated coffee shops and restaurants which butt up against the poverty outside. It’s an interesting sight to see.
Guatemala City operates some new buses called Transmetro. These buses are safer than the local chicken buses and cost GTQ1 or GTQ2 depending on the route. The only downside to the bus is that they are usually packed (although it still felt safe) so there are often long lines. It’s probably easier to use Uber, but the bus is an experience in itself.
So my advice – if you land in GUA then you should not be afraid to spent a day to see the city. The friendly locals alone make it worth it. There is crime – so use common sense – but just as you would in any large city around the world.